Ballast working implement



June 4, CL JACKSON BALLAST wonxme IMPLEMENT Filed June 21, 1939INVENTOR. don/w c/a/Mo 0/7 Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED -STATES PATENTOFFICE 10 Claims.

I This invention relates to improvements in ballast working implements.I

The main objects of this invention are: First, to provide a novelimplement for use in railway track maintenance.

Second, to provide a vibrating implement of the type'described, which.is especially intended for the ready insertion of the working bladethereof beneath loose railway ties particularly when the ballast in thetie crib is tightly cemented due to the accumulation of coal dust,cinders, clay and the like.

Third, to provide an implement of the type described having a ballastworking blade provided with means for facilitating the penetrationthereof into tightly cemented ballast and the subsequent working ortamping and compacting of ballast in voids beneath the ties;

Fourth, to provide an implement of this classwhich is highly efficientin tamping ballast under the part thereof directly below the rail.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the implement of thisinvention and one manner of using the same in track maintenance work.

.Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating a railway track and tie andone manner of. manipulating the implement of the invention to tampballast under a tie directly beneath the rail, successive manipulationsof the implement being'illustrated in dotted and full lines.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation, still further illustratingthe action of the implement in use.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views illustrating modified types ofblades contemplated for the implement of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an implement digging andtamping blade in accordance with this invention employed in connectionwith a modified form of vibratory mechanism therefor.

Of recent years efforts have been made by railways to reduce the size oftrack maintenance gangs to a minimum and it has been found that threemen is about the irreducible number for such a gang and still bereasonably efiicient. The duties of these track maintenancegangs is tomake minor tie renewals and principally to retamp loose ties andreposition and tamp low ties. The present invention concerns animplement having novel provisions for enabling its ready insertion inballast which has become tightly cemented due to accumulation of. coaldust, cinders, clay and other foreign matter in the tie crib to enablethe blade to reach and com-- pact ballast into voids beneath the ties ortamp in additional ballast. Since these voids may be relatively smalland stillhave an objectionable effect, the blade is preferably quitethin yet has 5 sufficient rigidity for the loosening and *tampingfunctions which it is intended to perform and furthermore the blade hasa digging or penetrating point and suitable tamping edges forfacilitatingentry thereof into cemented ballast and 10 for urging theballast forwardly into the voidand intoposition to effectively supportthe rails. Referring to the drawing, I illustrate an implement welladapted for the aforesaid functions or uses, the implement consistingof, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a supporting andvibratory mechanism generally indicated I similar to that illustrated inmy Patent No. 2,137,842, dated November 22, 1938, and a working ordigging and tamping blade which is generally indicated 2. The vibratorymechanism and support is made up of a handle 2| connected to a frame 3which carries an adjustable flexible belt 4 supporting the vibratoryelement 5 which in the illustrated embodiment includes a vibrating motorhaving a rotating eccentric or unbalancing weight (not shown) wherebyrotation of the motor causes high frequency vibrations to be imparted tothe motorhousing. The blade 2 is removably bolted at 6 to the motorhousing, being in the illustrated embodiment disposed transversely ofthe motor axis. I

The blade is made of spring sheet steel approximately inch thick and ofa suitable width to perform the functions to be described. It is oifsetor angled at 6| to enable its ready positioning approximatelyhorizontally parallel to the ground if desired, and has a forwardlydisposed digging or penetrating point 1 atone side thereof, beinginclined rearwardly on the forward portion ofAO its other side edge andprovided with a plurality of tamping steps or shoulders 8 in the thusinclined side edge.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I illustrate modified embodiments of the blade of theinvention, characterized by thefact that the forward digging orpenetrating point ll is disposed centrally of the blade, which is angledor inclined rearwardly at either side of the penetrating point, thesteps or shoulders in the inclined sides being indicated by thereference numeral 8|. The difference between the embodiments of Figs. 4and 5 is that in the former the penetrating point H has a sharp nose andin the latter it has a curved or roundednose. Likewise, in Fig. 5 thesteps8 Lare inclined slightly to therear instead of being normal to theaxis of the blade andpoint 1|;.as"in. Fig. 4. Functionally, however,these'two modifications are in general equivalents and, moreover, theyare functionally similar to the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2,

and 3, in that the point i or H readily enters tightly cemented ballastin the manner of a spear or pick during the initial operation, while thesteps or shoulders 8, 8i trap a certain amount of the ballast againstthe blade and cause it to be forced in a general downward and inwarddirection in relation to the tie to fill the void therebeneathforexample, see the manipulation illustrated in Fig. 2. In using theimplement as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the ballast is firstsuitably loosened and the implement then in-' serted downwardly andinwardly relative to the ballast at a given point, then successivelyinserted at points proceeding outwardly toward the tie end so that theballast Will be uniformly distributed in any previously existing voidbeneath the tie or suitably compacted beneath the tie. Successivepositions of insertion of. the tool are illustrated in solid and dottedlines in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 6, I illustrate a modified embodiment of the invention whereinthe blade 2 is employed in connection with a percussive device such as apneumatic tamper, the blade being fitted to a shank 9 to whichpercussive blows are delivered in housing Ill through the pneumatic lineN. This device is generally similar to that illustrated in my Patent No.1,747,939, dated February 18, 1930. If desired, the blade according tomy invention may also be utilized with a vibratory tamper of theunbalanced weight type illlustrated and described in my Patent No.2,080,921, dated May 18, 1937, or in connection with a mechanism of thevibratory impact type in which a series of blows are imparted by asuitable rotary member to the end of the blade holder or stem asillustrated in my Patent No. 2,025,287 of December 24, 1935.

The blade 2, as will be apparent from the above, may be disposed eitherparallel to or transverse to the shaft of the vibratory or reciprocatingtamping mechanism.

I have illustrated and described'my improvements in embodiments whichare very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe otherembodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enablethose skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may bedesired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by LettersPatent is:

1. In a vibratory ballast working implement a fiat relatively thin bladeterminating at its forward end in a pointed digging member adapted toreadily enter compacted or cemented ballast and being inclinedrearwardly from said member on at least one side thereof, there being aplurality of stepped abutments on the inclined portion of the bladeproviding ballast tamping shoulders adapted to trap ballast against theblade and force the same forwardly.

2. In a vibratory ballast working implement a blade terminating at itsforward end in a relatively thin, fiat digging member adapted to readilyenter compacted or cemented ballast and being inclined rearwardly fromsaid member on at least one side thereof, there being a plurality ofsteppedabutments on the inclined portion of the blade providing ballasttamping shoulders adapted to trap ballast against the blade and forcethe same forwardly.

3. In a vibratory ballast working implement a flat relatively thin bladeterminating at its forward end in a centrally disposed pointed diggingmember and being inclined rearwardly from said member on both sidesthereof, there being a plu rality of stepped abutments on said inclinedportion providing ballast tamping shoulders adapted in use to trapballast against the blade and urge the same forwardly and laterally ofthe blade.

4. In a vibratory ballast working implement, a blade terminating at itsforward end in a relatively thin centrally disposed pointed diggingmember and being inclined rearwardly from said member on both sidesthereof, there being a plurality of stepped abutments on said inclinedportion providing ballast tamping shoulders adapted in use to trapballast against the blade and urge the same forwardly and laterally ofthe blade.

5. In a vibratory ballast working implement, a tool carrying support anda tool on said support comprising a blade terminating at its forward endin a relatively thin pointed digging member and inclined rearwardly onat least one edge from said member, there being means on said inclinedportion providing ballast tamping shoulders adapted in use to trapballast against the blade and urge ballast forwardly and laterally ofthe blade.

6. In a ballast working implement of the type described, a digging andtamping tool including a member having an edge terminating forwardly ina digging element and inclined rearwardly of said element and providedwith abutment members adapted to tamp aggregate penetrated by saidelement and carry said aggregate forwardly and laterally intoa voidbeneath a railroad tie.

7. A ballast working implement of the type described, comprising adigging and tamping tool including a relatively wide blade-like memberterminating forwardly in a relatively thin pointed digging elementadapted to readily penetrate cemented ballast and enter a narrow voidbeneath a tie, and having a side thereof inclined rearwardly of saidelement and provided with steps adapted to tamp ballast penetrated bysaid element and carry said ballast forward and laterally into a voidbeneath the tie.

8. A ballast working implement of the type described, comprising adigging and tamping tool including a relatively wide blade-like memberterminating forwardly in a, relatively thin pointed digging elementadapted to readily penetrate cemented ballast and enter a narrow voidbeneath a tie, and having a side thereof inclined relatively sharplyrearwardly of said element and adapted to tamp ballast penetrated bysaid element and carry said ballast forward and laterally into a voidbeneath the tie.

9. A ballast working tool comprising a handle, a relatively wide flatblade-like tool secured to the handle and having an inwardly beveledpoint at one edge thereof, and a plurality of steps rearwardly of saidpoint and presenting forwardly facing faces adapted to successivelyengage the work as the blade is inserted therein.

10. A ballast working tool comprising a handle, a relatively wideblade-like tool secured to said handle and having a point diggingelement at its forward end, and a plurality of steps rearwardly of saiddigging element and presenting forwardly facing faces adapted tosuccessively engage the work as the tool is inserted therein.

CORWILL JACKSON.-

